MBN: THE MONTE BUBBLES NETWORK: Entertainment,Arts,Fashion & Technology

DEC 28

18 Blogs Responsible for the 100 Most Popular Posts Of 2006
'mother.livejournal.com', 'Crooks and Liars' and 'Sifry's Alerts' and 'Michelle Malkin' Among the Authors of the Most Linked-to Standalone Posts

December 28, 2006 -- A small cluster of power bloggers -- focused on politics, blogging and humor -- were responsible for the top 100 blog posts for 2006, according to word-of-mouth measurement firm Nielsen BuzzMetrics. The top blog -- based on the number of inbound links from other blogs between January 1 and November 30, 2006 -- was mother.livejournal.com's petition against changes in the livejournal interface. The single post was linked to in 801 posts by 786 other blogs.

"A minority of highly influential blogs continues to influence the broader conversation on the web," said Jonathan Carson, CEO, Nielsen BuzzMetrics. "However, unique circumstances and events, such as the LiveJournal protest against proposed interface changes, can resonate with passionate stakeholders and catapult lesser-known blogs to the top."

Crooks and Liars' posts on Stephen Colbert's monologue at the White House, and Keith Olbermann commentary on Rumsfeld, were the number 2 and 3 posts, respectively. The Colbert post was linked to in 622 posts on 603 blogs, and the Olbermann was linked to in 359 posts on 340 blogs.

David Sifry, founder and CEO of blog-search engine Technorati, had the fourth most popular post, with his latest state-of-the-blogosphere report. The post was linked to in 339 posts on 298 blogs.

Nielsen BuzzMetrics

Top Blog Posts of 2006

Ranked by Number of Messages/Blogs That Link To

January 1-November 30, 2006

Rank Blog Headline URL Messages Authors

1 2006 PETITION AGAINST http://mother.livejournal 801 786CHANGES IN THE .com/962238.html

LIVEJOURNAL INTERFACE

2 Colbert Does the White http://www.crooksandliars 622 603

House Correspondents' .com/2006/04/29.html#a8104

dinner:

3 Keith Olbermann http://www.crooksandliars 359 340

Delivers One Hell Of a .com/2006/08/30/keith-

Commentary on Rumsfeld olbermann-delivers-one-hell

-of-a-commentary-on-

rumsfeld/

4 State of the http://www.sifry.com/ 339 298

Blogosphere, August alerts/archives/000436.html

2006

5 Keith Olbermann's http://www.crooksandliars 330 322

Special Comment on .com/2006/09/11/keith-

Bush: Who has left olbermanns-special-commnet-

this hole in the on-bush-who-has-left-this-

ground? We have not hole-in-the-ground-we-have-

forgotten, Mr. not-forgotten-mr-president-

President. You have. you-have-may-this-country-

May this country forgive-you/

forgive you

6 SUPPORT DENMARK: WHY http://michellemalkin.com/ 307 277

THE FORBIDDEN CARTOONS archives/004413.htm

MATTER

7 SNL: If Al Gore were http://www.crooksandliars 286 271

President .com/2006/05/14.html#a8280

8 Milking it? http://eureferendum. 284 251

blogspot.com/2006/07/

milking-it.html

9 State of the http://www.sifry.com/ 282 255

Blogosphere, February alerts/archives/000419.html

2006 Part 1: On

Blogosphere Growth

10 State of the http://www.sifry.com/ 269 236

Blogosphere, April alerts/archives/000432.html

2006 Part 1: On

Blogosphere Growth

About Nielsen BuzzMetrics

The Nielsen BuzzMetrics service, marketed by BuzzMetrics, Inc., is the global standard in measuring consumer-generated media and word of mouth. Nielsen BuzzMetrics helps more than 100 leading global companies interpret and leverage the buzz surrounding them -- clients like Canon, Comcast, Ford, General Motors, HBO, Kraft, Microsoft, Nokia, P&G, Sony, Target and Toyota, as well as the top 15 pharmaceutical concerns. Partners include the world's largest marketing-services firms, and innovative new-marketing agencies. The company has also collaborated with distinguished research organizations such as the Pew Internet and American Life Project. BuzzMetrics, Inc. is an affiliate of VNU, owner of such renowned research names as ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research. For more information, visit www.nielsenbuzzmetrics.com

DEC 27

GSN Honors Former President Gerald R. Ford and Music Legend James Brown, Sunday Night, December 31

Ford and Brown Appeared in Vintage 'WHAT'S MY LINE' Episodes

Dec. 27 In honor of the recent passing of Former President Gerald R. Ford and music legend James Brown, GSN is planning special programming tributes showcasing some of their memorable appearances on classic game shows. GSN is honored to present vintage WHAT'S MY LINE? episodes on Sunday, December 31, featuring Ford and Brown as they appeared as themselves.

President Ford's tribute is at 3:00 AM on Sunday night and features a WHAT'S MY LINE? episode taped on August 28, 1969. In 1969, Ford was a Congressman and as such served as a mystery guest. The series was hosted by Wally Bruner and featured panelists Bennett Cerf, Brenda Vaccaro, Gene Rayburn and Joanna Barnes. (This particular episode of WHAT'S MY LINE? (WML -047-1) replaces WHAT'S MY LINE? episode (WMLN - 4/24/65)).

"The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" James Brown will be feted in a special WHAT'S MY LINE? episode at 3:30 AM. Brown sat in as a mystery guest on the acclaimed series November 19, 1968. On this particular episode hosted by Wally Bruner, Brown was joined by panelists Arlene Francis, Gawn Grainger, Phyllis Newman and Soupy Sales. (This episode WML-020-4 replaces previously listed TO TELL THE TRUTH.)

GSN is the entertainment industry leader in multi-platform interactive game programs. As the premier television network for games, GSN features challenging word games, high intensity casino programs, live participation shows, reality series and documentaries. GSN's programming includes original series such as "Chain Reaction," Lingo" and "High Stakes Poker," as well as the classics "Jeopardy" and "Pyramid," among others. The network also boasts America's first live participation TV program "PlayMania," which airs in late-night six times a week. Complementing the network, GSN.com features all types of game play: innovative Flash games for fun, skill cash game tournaments and downloadable games. The website also features GSN's two-screen interactive play-along for prime time shows. Now reaching more than 60 million Nielsen homes, GSN is distributed in the U.S. through all major cable systems and satellite providers. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation. For further media information, visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com.

-GSN-

Source: GSN

ACTOR® RECIPIENTS SANDRA OH AND ELIJAH WOOD JOIN SAG PRESIDENT ALAN ROSENBERG TO ANNOUNCE NOMINEES FOR THE 13TH ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS®

ACTOR® NOMINATIONS TO BE TELECAST LIVE ON TNT AND E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION
JAN. 4, 2007, AT 9:05 AM ET / 6:05 AM PT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13th Annual SAG Awards™ Ceremonies to be Simulcast Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007 on TNT and TBS at 8 pm ET/PT

Los Angeles, California – Two-time Actor® recipient Sandra Oh, currently starring in the ABC series Grey’s Anatomy, and Actor® recipient Elijah Wood, currently starring in the Golden Globe®-nominated films Bobby and Happy Feet, will join Screen Actors Guild President Alan Rosenberg to announce the nominees for the 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, Executive Producer Jeff Margolis announced today.

The SAG Awards™ nominations will be revealed at 6:05 a.m. PT on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2007, in the SilverScreen Theater at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. The nominations announcement will be telecast live on Turner Network Television (TNT), E! Entertainment Television and streamed live on TNT.TV and TBS.COM.

The 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, the only industry accolades devoted solely to actors honoring actors, will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. MT, from the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles.
In 2006, for her portrayal of Dr. Cristina Yang in her hit ABC drama Grey’s Anatomy, Sandra Oh received an Actor® for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series, as well as shared a nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Oh received her first Screen Actors Guild Award® in 2005 as a cast member of the film Sideways. That same year she presented the Actor® for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series to Teri Hatcher for Desperate Housewives.

Elijah Wood is currently starring in the ensemble film Bobby as William Avery and lending his voice to the delightful tap-dancing penguin, Mumble, in the animated smash hit Happy Feet. For his portrayal of hobbit Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Wood received his first Actor® in 2004 for Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Motion Picture for The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King and was nominated in the two previous years as a member of the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings. Wood can currently be seen reading “Me and My Cat” by Satoshi Kitamura at www.storylineonline.net <http://www.storylineonline.net> for the Screen Actors Guild Foundation’s “Storyline Online” children’s literacy program.

Secret ballots bearing the names of potential nominees for outstanding performances during 2006, in eight television and five motion picture categories including the distinctive ensemble awards originated by the SAG Awards, were mailed on Friday, Dec. 1, 2006, to the film and television nominating panels, each comprised of 2100 randomly selected SAG members from across the United States. The ballots will be returned by Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007, directly to Integrity Voting Systems, the Awards’ official elections teller. All active members of SAG will be mailed ballots on Jan. 5 to determine who will receive the coveted bronze Actor® statuettes on Jan. 28th.

The 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® are produced by Jeff Margolis Productions in association with Screen Actors Guild. Jeff Margolis is the executive producer and Kathy Connell is the producer. Yale Summers, Daryl Anderson, Shelley Fabares, Paul Napier and JoBeth Williams are producers for SAG. Gloria Fujita O’Brien and Mick McCullough are supervising producers. Benn Fleishman is executive in charge of production.

Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century. With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents nearly 120,000 working actors in film, television, industrials, commercials, video games, music videos and other new media. The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO. More information is available online at www.sag.org.

Turner Network Television (TNT), television’s destination for drama and one of cable’s top-rated networks, offers original movies and series, including the blockbuster detective series The Closer, starring Emmy®. Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild Awards® nominee Kyra Sedgwick, and next year’s eagerly anticipated television event The Company, executive-produced by Ridley Scott and starring Chris O’Donnell, Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Without a Trace, Law & Order, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER, Charmed and Judging Amy; broadcast premiere movies; compelling prime-time specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards® and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.

TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television’s “very funny” network. It serves as home to such hot contemporary comedies as Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, Seinfeld and Friends; original comedy series like My Boys and 10 Items or Less; specials and special events, such as The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.

J. Michael Riva to Design the 79th
Oscar® Telecast

— Oscar telecast producer Laura Ziskin announced today that J. Michael Riva has been appointed production designer of the 79th Academy Awards® presentation. This will be his second time creating the Oscar set.

Riva received an Academy Award nomination in 1985 for his work on “The Color Purple.” He began his career working with designer Toby Rafelson on “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.” Riva has since been the production designer on numerous films, including “Brubaker,” “Ordinary People,” “Lethal Weapon,” “A Few Good Men,” “Dave,” and “Charlie’s Angels.” He recently completed work on “Spider-Man 3” and “The Pursuit of Happyness.”

Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 5:30 a.m. PST in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2006 will be presented on Sunday, February 25, 2007, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour red carpet arrivals segment, “The Road to the Oscars”.

# # #

AFI AWARDS 2006 Moments of Significance Announced

Seventh Annual AFI Almanac Names Eight Moments of Significance in Film and TV for the Year

Dec. 27 -- The American Film Institute (AFI) today announced the second portion of the AFI AWARDS 2006 deliberation process -- the year's AFI Moments of Significance. These eight noteworthy events were determined to have had an impact on the world of the moving image during the calendar year 2006.

Each year, AFI AWARDS adds another volume to the history of American film and television by documenting the collective opinion of the moving image communities, archiving the year's significant moments and honoring the talent and collaborative teams who have created the year's outstanding accomplishments. Ten AFI Movies of the Year and 10 AFI Television Programs of the Year were announced earlier this month. A complete list of the 2006 official selections and the 2006 juries can be found at www.AFI.com.

AFI AWARDS 2006 selections were made through AFI's unique 13-person jury process in which scholars, film artists, critics and AFI trustees discuss, debate and determine the most outstanding achievements of the year, as well as highlight these significant events that shape our culture. Two AFI juries -- one for motion pictures and one for television -- convened in Los Angeles for two days of deliberations.

AFI will honor the creative ensembles for each of the honorees at a luncheon sponsored by Hewlett-Packard on Friday, January 12, 2007 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

CRITERIA

AFI Moments of Significance may include accomplishments of considerable merit; influences with either a positive or negative impression; trends, either new or re-emerging; anniversaries or memorials of special note; and/or movements in new technologies, education, preservation, government or other areas that impact the art film, television and digital media.

  The AFI Moments of Significance selections are listed below:    AFI MOMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE    CLINT EASTWOOD -- A NATIONAL TREASURE

Clint Eastwood released two major motion pictures in 2006. This is a significant achievement alone, but that FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA tell the story of the same battle in World War II while presenting the points of view of the opposing sides marks a moment of significance for post 9/11 cinema.

The films not only complement one another, but they resonate together to create one of the great motion picture experiences of the new century.

Eastwood and his team of collaborators -- including producers Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz, writer Paul Haggis, cinematographer Tom Stern, editor Joel Cox, production designer Henry Bumstead and casting director Phyllis Huffman -- provide an epic reminder that the American viewpoint is not the only human perspective.

THE DOCUMENTARY SPEAKS TO THE WORLD

In 2006, it was the documentary that best illustrated the power of film and television to bring us together as a global audience -- and, with hope, to affect change.

In theatres, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH premiered in the United States and began a journey around the world, raising the level of debate about global warming. Directed by Davis Guggenheim and starring former Vice President Al Gore, this documentary presents the argument that we can no longer afford to look at the effects of greenhouse gasses as a political issue, but we must see it as a moral one.

Also of note is IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS, a film by director James Longley, who documented the experience of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds in war-torn Iraq.

In television, WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE sets the standard for documentaries that fuse epic scope and human detail. Spike Lee's masterwork about the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans revitalized the debate about what it is to be abandoned by your government. BAGHDAD ER and COMBAT HOSPITAL also stand out among the year's best documentaries, exhibiting a texture and depth that is necessary to understand their complex issues.

YOUTUBE REDEFINES "THE TUBE"

Though audience participation continues to have an enormous impact on television, with cultural hits like DANCING WITH THE STARS and AMERICAN IDOL reliant on interactivity, the true cultural phenomenon for 2006 is the dawn of a new era of participatory television -- via the personal computer.

The explosive growth and domination of YouTube as the pre-eminent site for uploading, viewing and sharing video clips on the World Wide Web signifies the awakening of an age when the audience is both producer and distributor.

The impact of self-produced media is currently most profound as it relates to documenting events of the day that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Cell phones and video cameras capture police brutality, racial slurs and other events that are then "broadcast" around the world. Most notably for 2006, George Allen, a front-runner in the Virginia Senate race, referred to a man of Indian descent as "macaca" and the footage was first seen around the world on YouTube. It was one of several issues that Allen's campaign struggled to control, and he lost the race.

TV NEWS MIGRATES TO THE INTERNET ... AND FROM FACT TO FICTION

2006 marked a year when network and cable news became far less significant in the echo chamber of the Internet, and the fusion of journalism and comedy continued to impact the political scene.

The flashpoint for this moment took place when Stephen Colbert, star of THE COLBERT REPORT on Comedy Central, was the featured speaker at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Colbert's routine, performed in character as his faux-politically conservative news anchor, roasted President George W. Bush and his administration's policies as the President sat a few feet away, and the entire room appeared uncomfortable.

Colbert's performance aired on C-SPAN, but became an Internet sensation, providing a defining shift in the way the 2006 midterm elections were perceived and discussed by a younger generation.

VHS IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE DIGITAL FUTURE

2006 marks the end of production of the VHS cassette -- and with its passing, the term "Be Kind, Rewind" is erased from the American lexicon.

Released to the consumer market in 1976 by JVC, the VHS format transformed the way the world watched the movies and, because of its popularity, changed the way movies were made and marketed.

2006 is also a watershed year in the way motion pictures are distributed to consumers. Theatrical experiments continue -- Steven Soderbergh's BUBBLE became the first motion picture released in theatres the same day it was available on HDTV and four days later on DVD. And Morgan Freeman's ClickStar, a joint venture between Intel and Freeman's Revelations production company, released 10 ITEMS OR LESS, the first feature film to premiere in theatres and then become available via broadband within two weeks of its national release.

The legal market for digital downloading became a reality in 2006 as full-length feature films are now available via cellular phones, Internet sites and through special DVD agreements with retail stores. The field continues to be lead by iTunes, which offers hundreds of television episodes and select movie titles.

Though the economic viability of these models is uncertain, their collective direction marks a moment when a global audience enjoys unprecedented access to the movies.

HAVE YOU NO SHAME? TELEVISION SAYS YES.

2006 marked a moment when what didn't air on television was as compelling as what did.

When FOX announced that it was to broadcast an interview with O.J. Simpson, who would hypothetically detail how he would have killed his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, the decisive outcry from the audience, affiliates and advertisers caused FOX to cancel the broadcast.

The cancellation showed that a moral standard still exists for television, albeit a limit that had to be pushed to an extreme to be of note. That it was self-regulated, however, and not legislated by the government, is cause to celebrate.

NETWORKS FIGHT BACK

The pendulum of America's dialogue on free speech swung back in 2006 as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and several of their affiliates filed a challenge to a Federal Communications Commission ruling that cited several incidents of "indecent" language.

This represented a rare galvanizing moment for the television community, which sees the FCC's rulings, penalties and fines as vague and inconsistent and has asked the agency to provide a clear definition of its terms of indecency.

ROBERT ALTMAN -- 1925-2006

Robert Altman passed away in 2006 at the age of 81. In a career that spanned over 50 years, Altman was a true maverick of American film. His body of work -- both in film and television -- reflects an exceptional diversity in genre, but always with his indelible signature. From overlapping dialogue to the epic ensemble pieces filled with actors who revered him, Altman's style continues to inspire artists and audiences alike. AFI will ensure that his films will live forever -- M*A*S*H, NASHVILLE, McCABE AND MRS. MILLER, THE PLAYER, GOSFORD PARK and many more.

About the American Film Institute

AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, maintains America's film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education through the AFI Digital Content Lab and K-12 Screen Education Center. As the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the US, AFI ON SCREEN encompasses the annual AFI FEST presented by Audi: AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival -- as well as year-round programming at ArcLight Hollywood and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, including SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival. AFI AWARDS, the annual almanac for the 21st century, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year, while AFI's 100 Years . . . series has ignited extraordinary public interest in classic American movies. And, during the past 34 years, AFI's Life Achievement Award has become the highest honor for a career in film. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.

Source: American Film Institute

SIRIUS Satellite Radio Will Celebrate New Year's Eve With Exclusive
Live Concert Broadcasts
NEW YORK, Dec 26, 2006 -- SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) will broadcast exclusive live
concerts from a wide variety of artists from locations across the US as
part of its New Year's Eve programming. The lineup will be:



    THE BEACH BOYS
    America's pre-eminent pop group will be broadcast LIVE from the
Luxor
    Theatre, Las Vegas, NV
    ('60s Vibrations, channel 6 -- Jan. 1 @ 12:30 am ET/Dec. 31 @ 9:30
pm PT)

    FREDDY & THE FISHSTICKS
    A rare club show from Jimmy Buffett's "other" band! Re-broadcast of
    Dec. 22, 2006 concert at the Belly Up in Aspen, CO
    (Radio Margaritaville, channel 31 -- Dec. 31 @ 11 pm ET/8 pm PT)

    THE COMMODORES
    Classic funk and R&B band broadcast LIVE from Resorts
International,
    Atlantic City, NJ
    (Soul Town, channel 53 -- Dec. 31 @ 10:45 pm ET/7:45 pm PT)

    PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND
    Punk rock's poet laureate in her annual New Year's Eve show LIVE
from
    Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
    (SIRIUS Disorder, channel 24 -- Dec. 31 @ 11 pm ET/8 pm PT)

    CHRIS ISAAK
    Roots rocker and crooner Chris Isaak and his band will be LIVE from
    Belly Up, Aspen, CO
    (The Spectrum, channel 18 -- Jan. 1 @ 12:45 am ET/Dec. 31 @ 9:45 pm
PT)

    BIG AND RICH
    The hot country duo's concert at the inaugural Rock n' The Rally
Festival
    at Sturgis Bike Week in South Dakota
    (New Country, channel 60 -- Dec. 31 @ 11 pm ET/ 8 pm PT)

    MY MORNING JACKET
    Talked-about Kentucky alt-rock band will be LIVE from the Fillmore,
    San Francisco, CA
    (Left of Center, channel 26 -- Jan. 1 @ 1:30 am ET/Dec. 31 @ 10:30
pm PT)

    THE WHO
    On the SIRIUS channel dedicated to the rock legends, a broadcast of
their
    July 2002 show at the Gorge in George, WA
    (The Who Channel, channel 10 -- Dec. 31 @ 9 pm ET/6 pm PT)

    CRYSTAL METHOD
    Los Angeles' dance-based electronic duo broadcast LIVE from Ruby
Skye,
    San Francisco, CA
    (Boombox, channel 34 -- Jan. 1 @ 2:55 am ET/Dec. 31 @ 11:55 pm PT)

    DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL
    Emo legends Dashboard Confessional's SIRIUS performance, and
interview
    with frontman Chris Carrabba
    (Alt Nation, channel 21 -- Dec. 31 @ 10 pm ET/7 pm PT)

    SHEMEKIA COPELAND
    The acclaimed, GRAMMY(R)-nominated blues singer LIVE from Buddy
Guy's,
    Chicago, IL
    (SIRIUS Blues, channel 74 -- Jan. 1 @ 12 am ET/Dec. 31 @ 9 pm PT)

    STRING CHEESE INCIDENT
    Popular bluegrass-based jam band will be LIVE from Concourse
Center,
    San Francisco, CA
    (Jam On, channel 17 -- Jan. 1 @ 2:45 am ET/Dec. 31 @ 11:45 pm PT)

    GALACTIC
    New Orleans jazz-funk ensemble will be LIVE from Tipitina's in
their
    home town, New Orleans, LA
    (Jam On, channel 17 -- Jan. 1 @ 12:30 am ET/Dec. 31 @ 9:30 pm PT)

    HATEBREED
    The hot metal band will be LIVE from Toad's Place in their home
town,
    New Haven, CT
    (Hard Attack, channel 27 -- Dec. 31 @ 11 pm ET/8 pm PT)

    LUCAS PRATA
    The dance music singer-songwriter from Queens, NY will be LIVE from
    Mirage, Westbury, NY
    (The Beat, channel 36 -- Dec. 31 @ 11:30 pm ET/8:30 pm PT)

In addition, on many of SIRIUS' music channels, year-end countdowns of
the top songs/albums will be featured. Visit www.sirius.com for more
details.

About SIRIUS

SIRIUS, "The Best Radio on Radio," delivers more than 130 channels of
the best programming in all of radio. SIRIUS is the original and only
home of 100% commercial free music channels in satellite radio, offering
69 music channels. SIRIUS also delivers 65 channels of sports, news,
talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and data. SIRIUS is the Official
Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, NBA and NHL and broadcasts live
play-by-play games of the NFL, NBA and NHL. All SIRIUS programming is
available for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95.

SIRIUS Internet Radio (SIR) is a CD-quality, Internet-only version of
the SIRIUS radio service, without the use of a radio, for the monthly
subscription fee of $12.95. SIR delivers more than 75 channels of talk,
entertainment, sports, and 100% commercial free music.

SIRIUS products for the car, truck, home, RV and boat are available in
more than 25,000 retail locations, including Best Buy, Circuit City,
Crutchfield, Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, RadioShack and at
shop.sirius.com.

SIRIUS radios are offered in vehicles from Audi, Bentley, BMW,
Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep(R), Land Rover, Lexus,
Lincoln-Mercury, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Nissan, Rolls Royce, Scion, Toyota,
Porsche, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Hertz also offers SIRIUS in its rental
cars at major locations around the country.

Click on www.sirius.com to listen to SIRIUS live, or to purchase a
SIRIUS radio and subscription.

Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to,
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance
with respect to SIRIUS Satellite Radio Inc. are not historical facts
and may be forward-looking and, accordingly, such statements involve
estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results
to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statements. Accordingly, any such statements are qualified in their entirety
by reference to the factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2005 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
for the quarters ended

June 30, 2006 and September 30, 2006 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Among the key factors that have a direct bearing on
our operational results are: our dependence upon third parties, including
manufacturers of SIRIUS radios, retailers, automakers and programming
partners, our competitive position and any events which affect the
useful life of our satellites.

    P-SIRI

Cosmopolitan's 'Bedside Astrologer' Comes to Radio With Exclusive
Predictions for 2007 on Sirius Satellite Radio
NEW YORK, Dec 27, 2006
-- SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) and Cosmopolitan magazine today
announced that Cosmo Radio will kick off 2007 with a special New Year's
Day marathon broadcast hosted by Cosmopolitan's very own bedside
astrologer, Hazel Dixon Cooper, who will offer predictions for love, life and
more in the year ahead.

The all-day "star-studded" special will air Monday, January 1, 2007,
from noon to midnight (12:00 pm ET - 12:00 am ET) exclusively on Cosmo
Radio, SIRIUS channel 111.

In the magazine's trademark sexy, savvy style, Cooper will discuss a
wide-range of astro predictions, including:

     -- Personal horoscopes for listeners calling into the show,
clueing them
        in on all aspects of their lives, from love to work to
friendships ...
     -- A complete personality profile highlighting the characteristics
of
        each zodiac sign ...
     -- The year ahead for celebrity couples - whose relationship will
sizzle
        and whose will fizzle ...
     -- Bedside Matchmaker: a segment for chicks on the prowl, with
insights
        on which signs to seek out and which ones to avoid ...
     -- Astro-relationships: a segment for couples that will answer the
        question: Is this a match made in heaven or hell?
     -- Guy Signs: forecasts telling women exactly what the stars have
in
        store for the men in their lives ...
     -- New Year's Resolutions: Surprising but do-able goals for each
sign in
        2007 ...

    ... and much, much more!

The go-to spot for fun, fearless females, Cosmo Radio features the same
smart relationship advice, beauty and fitness tips, health news and
entertainment that has earned the magazine its iconic brand status.

About SIRIUS

SIRIUS, "The Best Radio on Radio," delivers more than 130 channels of
the best programming in all of radio. SIRIUS is the original and only
home of 100% commercial free music channels in satellite radio, offering
69 music channels. SIRIUS also delivers 65 channels of sports, news,
talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and data. SIRIUS is the Official
Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, NBA and NHL and broadcasts live
play-by-play games of the NFL, NBA and NHL. All SIRIUS programming is
available for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95.

SIRIUS Internet Radio (SIR) is a CD-quality, Internet-only version of
the SIRIUS radio service, without the use of a radio, for the monthly
subscription fee of $12.95. SIR delivers more than 75 channels of talk,
entertainment, sports, and 100% commercial free music.

SIRIUS products for the car, truck, home, RV and boat are available in
more than 25,000 retail locations, including Best Buy, Circuit City,
Crutchfield, Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, RadioShack and at
shop.sirius.com.

SIRIUS radios are offered in vehicles from Audi, Bentley, BMW,
Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep(R), Land Rover, Lexus,
Lincoln-Mercury, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Nissan, Rolls Royce, Scion, Toyota,
Porsche, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Hertz also offers SIRIUS in its rental
cars at major locations around the country.

Click on www.sirius.com to listen to SIRIUS live, or to purchase a
SIRIUS radio and subscription.

Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to,
expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance
with respect to SIRIUS Satellite Radio Inc. are not historical facts
and may be forward-looking and, accordingly, such statements involve
estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results
to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statements. Accordingly, any such statements are qualified in their entirety
by reference to the factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2005 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
for the quarters ended

June 30, 2006 and September 30, 2006 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Among the key factors that have a direct bearing on
our operational results are: our dependence upon third parties, including
manufacturers of SIRIUS radios, retailers, automakers and programming
partners, our competitive position and any events which affect the
useful life of our satellites.

About Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan is the best-selling young women's monthly magazine
worldwide, reaching nearly 18 million readers a month. With more than 50
international editions that are published in 32 languages and sold in more
than 100 countries, Cosmopolitan is published by Hearst Magazines, a
unit of Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) and one of the world's largest
publishers of monthly magazines, with a total of 19 U.S. titles and
nearly 200 international editions. Hearst reaches more adults than any
other publisher of monthly magazines (76.3 million according to MRI,
spring 2005). The company also publishes 19 magazines in the United Kingdom
through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company
Limited.

    P-SIRI

DEC 26

POW! Entertainment Gains Foothold in Sixty Billion Dollar Wireless Market

Dec. 26 POW! Entertainment had the foresight early on to form strategic alliances and develop mobile content to lock in a firm position in the burgeoning wireless marketplace, as reported by Inside Wallstreet Report. After nearly two years in development, POW!'s efforts have paid off in a very big way: Sprint, the nation's most powerful wireless network, in their press release issued Friday, has officially listed Stan Lee's POW! Mobile Channel as Sprint's Channel 70.

On Friday's news, Sprint stock gained 1.56%, while POW! Entertainment was up 12.24%.

Stan Lee's POW! Mobile Channel can now be accessed by Sprint's Power Vision subscribers, right along with The Cartoon Network, The Weather Channel, ESPN, Fox Sports, Comedy Central, Hollywood Insider, Universal Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, ABC News Now, Hanna-Barbera, NFL Network, Saturday Morning TV, Looney Tunes, Warner Brothers Trailers, Sirius Music, Primetime TV, Sony Pictures Trailers, VH1, CNN toGo, and other Sprint channels. This makes POW! ENTERTAINMENT part of one of the world's largest mobile broadband networks.

The Sprint Power Vision platform is a great fit for POW!'s founder Stan Lee, the creative genius behind Spiderman*, X-Men*, Fantastic Four*, Daredevil* and now Stan Lee's POW! Mobile Channel, which comes just in time for the holidays.

"Holiday travelers will see that it doesn't matter whether grandma has cable, or if you get stuck in the airport for hours. You'll always have access to hours of entertaining live and on-demand programming with Sprint TV on a Sprint Power Vision phone," said Alana Muller, director of product marketing for Sprint. The company also announced wireless partnership with "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," which is now available as Sprint's Channel 76.

Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment, Inc. announced in early 2005 that they formed a strategic partnership to develop a new mobile channel with mobile- streaming pioneer Vidiator(TM). Vidiator is a world leader in downloadable content delivery technologies for mobile streaming and has patents allowing mobile operators to offer premium multimedia applications. Through Vidiator's state-of-the-art mobile streaming technology, POW! gained the capability to seamlessly deliver its original "Stan Lee Presents" releases to major wireless carriers throughout the world.

"The streaming and 3-D technology, developed by Vidiator since 1998, has matured to the point that video and 3-D can be combined into innovative mobile multimedia content," said Connie Wong, Vidiator's CEO. "The 'Mobisodes' we have created with Stan Lee are the first of their kind in the mobile multimedia market. I am pleased beyond words to bring POW! Mobile content to the wireless world and to catapult mobile entertainment into a new era."

The US wireless market, according to reports from CITA-the Wireless Association(TM), has an estimated 224,347,047 wireless subscribers, and, in the first six months of 2006, revenues of $60.5 billion, up 8.6% over the first half of 2005. Additional data from the Wireless World Forum's "USA Mobile Market 2006" Statistical Handbook reveals that revenues from US Operators alone will grow by another $20 billion dollars in 2007.

Mobile Phones and PDAs are rapidly transforming into "pay-for-play" video streaming entertainment devices. There are now over two billion wireless subscribers worldwide experiencing this exciting transformation of their cell phones. The large entertainment conglomerates, including many of the major motion picture studios-deeply entrenched in traditional income streams- are just now waking up to the future and aggressively trying to position themselves for a portion of the wireless market share, as major wireless service providers armed with new video streaming technologies are now vying for entertainment content to deliver to their enormous subscriber base.

As a team, POW! and Vidiator have significant market share in this new niche, introducing projects that combine Vidiator's patented video streaming technologies and contemporary Stan Lee Original content, adapted for mobile applications. This type of content is exactly what companies like Sprint need to fill the huge demand for compelling mobile entertainment, giving them a substantial advantage over competitive carriers. The partnership creates a perfect and timely marriage at a time when mobile entertainment revenues begin to grow exponentially and demand for content accelerates to new levels.

"In Asia, most people walking down the street are now holding cell phones in front of them, looking at streaming videos," Stan Lee jokes. "They're bumping into things, which is great for the Band-Aid business!"

What the jovial and innovative Lee didn't mention is just how great this is for POW!'s business, as well. Based on the company's revenue-sharing distribution and licensing agreement, POW! will earn a percentage of sales from downloads of its programs. As a result, the company believes it will add significant revenues in 2007.

For a "must-see" glimpse of the entertaining preview of Stan Lee's POW! Mobile Channel, visit http://stanleeweb.com/vidiator.htm

About Vidiator

Vidiator is a leading provider of mobile TV, video, audio and 3D messaging technology for the delivery of live and on-demand TV, radio and 3G multimedia content to mobile devices. Since 2002, Vidiator has pioneered mobile multimedia technology research and development, specializing in streaming, encoding, transcoding, 3D messaging and mobile TV solutions. Operating with a multi-national team of industry leaders in all forms of global media, Vidiator develops applications that leverage the company's patented streaming, transcoding and 3D technologies. The company's end-to-end content management, subscription and hosting services allow for the global publishing and distribution of mobile content. Vidiator's multimedia content delivery platforms are deployed throughout the mobile marketplace in 20 countries and on four continents. Vidiator has offices in Bellevue, Wash. (headquarters), London, Hong Kong and Seoul, Korea. For more information, see www.vidiator.com.

About POW! Entertainment Inc.

POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc. was founded by world famous comic book and motion picture icon Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man*, X- Men*, The Hulk*, and Fantastic Four*, together with award winning producer Gill Champion and acclaimed expert in intellectual properties Arthur Lieberman esq., POW's principals have created, produced and licensed some of the most successful global character franchises of all time and generated billions of dollars in revenues. POW! has partnered with major studios, networks and industry leaders to perpetuate a whole new cast of contemporary Stan Lee Originals. POW! Entertainment is now publicly traded under the symbol (POWN). www.powentertainment.com

  *These are characters and trademarks of Marvel Characters Inc. (MVL)    Safe Harbor

Forward-looking statements made in this release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements made by POW! Entertainment Inc. are not a guarantee of future performance. This news release includes forward-looking statements, including with respect to the future level of business for the parties. These statements are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in these forward- looking statements as a result of certain risk factors that could cause results to differ materially from estimated results. Management cautions that all statements as to future results of operations are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and events that may be beyond the control of POW! Entertainment Inc. and no assurance can be given that such results will be achieved. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability to procure, properly price, retain and successfully complete projects, and changes in products and competition.

Source: Inside Wallstreet Report

Blockbuster Announces Top Movie Picks of the Year

"Wedding Crashers" is Movie Renters' Top Choice for 2006

Dec. 26 Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson have crashed another party, coming first in the hearts of American movie lovers with their bad boy antics in "Wedding Crashers." The comedy tops the list of most rented movies at BLOCKBUSTER in 2006, both in-store and online.

"Half of this year's top movie rentals are comedies, showing America loves to laugh in its downtime," said Joyce Woodward, senior vice president and general merchandising manager for Blockbuster Inc. "The holidays are always one of the peak times for movie watching. Blockbuster recommends any of the top picks of 2006 as entertainment for friends and families getting together this season."

To take in one of the top movies before the end of the year, movie lovers can rent them online at www.blockbuster.com or at more than 5,000 BLOCKBUSTER stores in the U.S., which will be open throughout the holidays, even on Christmas and New Year's. (Store hours vary by location.)

  TOP MOVIE RENTALS OF 2006   (Includes rentals from BLOCKBUSTER stores and Blockbuster.com)   1.  "Wedding Crashers"   2.  "Flightplan"   3.  "Click"   4.  "Walk The Line"   5.  "Inside Man"   6.  "Failure to Launch"   7.  "Lord of War"   8.  "The Break-Up"   9.  "Fun With Dick and Jane"   10. "Mission Impossible III"    About Blockbuster

Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI) (NYSE:BBI.B) is a leading global provider of in-home movie and game entertainment, with approximately 8,500 stores throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company may be accessed worldwide at www.blockbuster.com.

Elvis Still Reigns as King in Most Popular Stamp Ranking

Dec. 26 While the 1993 Elvis stamp continues to hold court as the most popular stamp of all time with more than 124 million collected, three sets of stamps issued during 2006 rank among the top 10, Postmaster General John E. Potter announced today.

"Stamp collecting continues as one of the world's most popular educational hobbies that the entire family can enjoy," Potter said in announcing the 25 most popular stamps of all time. "Three stamp subjects issued this year were extremely popular: Wonders of America, Land of Superlatives, came in at number two for all time with more than 87 million collected; DC Comics Super Heroes hit number five with 73 million; and, Art of Disney: Romance was number eight with more than 57 million."

Since 1988, the Postal Service has annually surveyed more than 10,000 households to determine the number and types of stamps purchased versus stamps saved.

The Postal Service receives stamp ideas from about 50,000 people every year, yet only 20 to 25 subjects make the cut. To narrow down the selection, the Postmaster General's Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee -- a cross section of designers, historians and academics -- reviews the suggestions and make recommendations to the Postmaster General for final approval.

"The fact that 10 of the top 25 were issued in the last three years serves as a testament to the Committee's expertise in selecting dynamic subjects and America's continued interest in the hobby," he added.

This year proved to be the best ever for stamp shows. The Washington 2006 World Philatelic Exhibition -- as the world's largest stamp show and held only once every decade in the U.S. -- attracted nearly 140 postal administrations and more than 200 stamp dealers to showcase the world's rarest stamp collections worth hundreds of millions of dollars to nearly a quarter of a million visitors.

The Postal Service encourages individuals with stamp ideas to submit their suggestions in writing to:

  Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee   Stamp Development   U.S. Postal Service   1735 North Lynn St Rm 5013   Arlington VA 22209-6432

To see the top 25 most popular stamp subject images, visit: http://www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/2006/sr06_055.htm

To see the 2007 Commemorative stamp program and learn more about the stamp selection process, visit this link: http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007stamps/.

                 Top 25 Most Popular Commemorative Stamps   Stamp Subject                    Year           Stamps Saved   1)  Elvis                        1993           124.1 million   2)  Wonders of America           2006           87.5 million   3)  Wildflowers                  1992           76.1 million   4)  Rock & Roll/Rhythm & Blues   1993           75.9 million   5)  DC Comics Super Heroes       2006           73.0 million   6)  Greetings From America       2002           71.4 million   7)  Insects and Spiders          1999           61.0 million   8)  Art of Disney: Romance       2006           57.2 million   9)  Legends of Baseball          2000           53.9 million   10) Art of Disney: Celebration   2005           52.8 million   11) Baseball Playing Fields      2001           49.0 million   12) Art of Disney: Friendship    2004           47.7 million   13) Civil War                    1995           46.6 million   14) Legends of the West          1994           46.4 million   15) Marilyn Monroe               1995           46.4 million   16) Advances in Aviation         2005           45.8 million   17) Bugs Bunny                   1997           44.1 million   18) Lunar New Year SS            2005           42.7 million   19) Comic Strip Classics         1995           40.8 million   20) Jim Henson: Muppets          2005           40.6 million   21) Cloudscapes                  2004           40.1 million   22) Stars and Stripes            2000           40.0 million   23) Baseball Sluggers            2006           39.5 million   24) Summer Olympics              1992           39.5 million   25) Lucille Ball                 2001           38.7 million

Since 1775, the United States Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, have connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency that visits more than 146 million homes and businesses every day, the Postal Service is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. It receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of $72 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume -- some 213 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year -- and serves ten million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide.

Source: U.S. Postal Service

Dec 25

JAMES BROWN

James Brown has had more honorifics attached to his name than any other performer in music history. He has variously been tagged "Soul Brother Number One," "the Godfather of Soul," "the Hardest Working Man in Show Business," "Mr. Dynamite" and even "the Original Disco Man." This much is certain: what became known as soul music in the Sixties, funk music in the Seventies and rap music in the Eighties is directly attributable to James Brown. His transformation of gospel fervor into the taut, explosive intensity of rhythm & blues, combined with precision choreography and dynamic showmanship, served to define the directions black music would take from the release of his first R&B hit ("Please Please Please") in 1956 to the present day.

Brown's life history documents one triumph over adversity after another. He was born into poverty in Barnwell, South Carolina, during the Great Depression. As a child, he picked cotton, danced for spare change and shined shoes. At 16, he was caught and convicted of stealing, and he landed in reform school for three years. While incarcerated, he met Bobby Byrd, leader of a gospel group that performed at the prison. After his release, Brown tried his hand at semipro boxing and baseball. A career-ending leg injury inspired him to pursue music fulltime. He joined Byrd in a group that sang gospel in and around Toccoa, Georgia. But then Byrd and Brown attended a rhythm & blues revue that included Hank Ballard and Fats Domino, whose performances lured them into the realm of secular music. Renaming themselves the Flames (later, the Famous Flames), they became a tightly knit ensemble that showcased their abundant talents as singers, dancers and multi-instrumentalists.

Brown rose to the fore as leader of the James Brown Revue - an entourage complete with emcee, dancers and an untouchable stage band (the J.B.'s). Reportedly sweating off up to seven pounds a night, Brown was a captivating performer who'd incorporate a furious regimen of spins, drops and shtick (such as feigning a heart attack, complete with the ritual donning and doffing of capes and a fevered return to the stage) into his skintight rhythm & blues. What Elvis Presley was to rock and roll, James Brown became to R&B: a prolific and dominant phenom. Like Presley, he is a three-figure hitmaker, with 114 total entries on Billboard's R&B singles charts and 94 that made the Hot 100 singles chart. Over the years, he amassed 800 songs in his repertoire while maintaining a grueling touring schedule. Recording for the King and Federal labels throughout the Fifties and Sixties, Brown distilled R&B to its essence on such classic albums as Live at the Apollo (patterned after Ray Charles' In Person) and singles like "Cold Sweat," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)." His group, the J.B.'s, was anchored by horn players and musical mainstays Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker. Brown also recorded a series of instrumental albums, taking a break from soul shouting to pursue his prowess as an organist.

By the late Sixties, Brown had attained the status of a musical and cultural revolutionary, owing to his message of black pride and self-sufficiency. In the late Sixties and early Seventies, such message songs as "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" reverberated throughout the black community, within which he was regarded as a leader and role model. During this time, he began developing a hot funk sound with young musicians, such as bassist William "Bootsy" Collins, who passed through his ever-evolving band. Though his influence waned in the latter half of the Seventies, a cameo role in The Blues Brothers film in 1980 and his recognition as a forefather of rap helped trigger a resurgence. His records were more heavily sampled by rap and hip-hop acts than those of any other artist, and he achieved renewed street credibility by recording a single ("Unity") with rapper Afrika Bambaataa in 1984. Brown was among the first group of performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Unfortunately, his personal life took a nose-dive in 1988, as he was investigated on a series of charges that ranged from spousal abuse and drug possession to problems with the IRS. Paroled after serving two years in prison, a chastened but resolute Brown picked up the pieces in the Nineties and carried on. If nothing else, his status as the Godfather of Soul has remained unassailable. In December 2003, only months after his 70th birthday, James Brown was the recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.

May 3, 1933
James Brown is born in Barnwell, South Carolina. He is raised in poverty in Augusta, Georgia, 40 miles away.

1953
James Brown joins the Gospel Starlighters, a vocal quartet led by Bobby Byrd, after completing a four-year stint in prison for robbery. The group will change its focus from gospel to R&B and its name to the Famous Flames, as Brown becomes the focal point of the act.

November 1, 1955
The Famous Flames record "Please Please Please" at the studio of WIBB in Macon, Georgia.

January 23, 1956
Producer and talent scout Ralph Bass travels to Macon to sign James Brown to the King/Federal label, beating Leonard Chess (of Chess Records) to the punch.

February 4, 1956
James Brown and the Famous Flames cut "Please Please Please" at King/Federal studios in Cincinnati, backed by the label's crack house band. James Brown's recording debut rises to #5 on the R&B chart.

March 3, 1956
"Please, Please, Please," James Brown's first single for Syd Nathan's Federal label (a King subsidiary), is released, thereby launching the career of this legendary soul singer.

April 11, 1956
"Please Please Please" by James Brown and the Famous Flames reaches #6 on the R&B charts.

October 1, 1957
After Little Richard abruptly quits rock and roll for religion, James Brown honors pending tour dates in the South in his place. Several members of Little Richard's backup band, the Upsetters, become Famous Flames.

October 1, 1958
James Brown's first #1 hit, "Try Me," is released. It is the best-selling R&B single of 1958—and the first of 17 chart-topping R&B singles by Brown over the next two decades.

May 26, 1962
James Brown hits #35 with "Night Train".

October 24, 1962
Against the objections of Syd Nathan, who felt that no one would be interested in a live album of previously released material, James Brown records his performance at New York's Apollo Theater.

June 15, 1963
James Brown hits #18 with "Prisoner of Love".

June 30, 1963
James Brown's 'Live at the Apollo, Vol. 1,' is released. Reaching #2 on the album charts, it the most successful album issued by Syd Nathan's King Records. This same year, King/Federal releases albums by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Freddy King, Earl Bostic and the Stanley Brothers.

OCTOBER 28-29, 1964
The concert film 'The TAMI Show' is recorded in Santa Monica, CA, featuring James Brown, the Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones and the Supremes.

February 1, 1965
James Brown records "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," a revolutionary single that ushers in a whole new era of soul music. Released that summer, it tops the R&B chart for eight weeks and even cracks the pop Top Ten.

1965
James Brown reaches #3 with "I Got You (I Feel Good)".

June 4, 1966
James Brown hits #8 with "It's A Man's Man's Man's World".

1967
James Brown hit #7 with "Cold Sweat".

1968
Archie Bell & the Drells hit #1 with "Tighten Up"; Johnnie Taylor hits # 5 with "Who's Makin Love"; James Brown hits # 6 with "I Got The Feelin'" and #10 with "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud"; Sly & the Family Stone hit #8 with "Dance to the Music"

December 19, 1968
James Brown releases an album entitle 'Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things,' a tribute to his recently deceased friend and King Records labelmate.

March 8, 1969
James Brown hits #15 with "Give It Up or Turn it Loose".

July 19, 1969
James Brown hits #30 with "The Popcorn".

1969
James Brown hit #11 with "Mother Popcorn".

January 24, 1970
James Brown hits #24 with "Ain't It Funky Now (Part 1)".

1970
"Get Up I Feel Like Being Like a Sex..." by James Brown hit #15.

1971
James Brown hits #15 with "Hot Pants".

July 1, 1971
James Brown signs with Polydor Records, for which he'll record extensively throughout the decade.

September 1, 1972
"Get On the Good Foot" tops the R&B chart for a month and peaks at #18 in the pop Top Forty. A gold-certified million seller, it establishes James Brown as a potent influence on black music in the Seventies—or, as he takes to calling himself, "the Godfather of Soul."

January 5, 1974
'The Payback', the most successful of James Brown's Seventies albums—many of which were double-LPs with lengthy, extended tracks—makes its debut on Billboard's album chart. It is the only gold-certified (500,000 copies sold) album of his career.

September 1, 1974
Lloyd Price stages a music festival in Zaire, Africa, with boxing promoter Don King. The event attracts 120,000 people and offers James Brown, B.B. King, Etta James, Bill Withers, the Spinners and others.

September 1, 1979
James Brown, who has watched his sales figures slip in the disco era, attempts to move in on that market with The Original Disco Man, which only reaches #152 in the album chart.

June 1, 1980
James Brown contributes an unforgettable cameo as a manic preacher in the John Belushi/Dan Aykroyd film The Blues Brothers.

September 1, 1984
Bronx rapper Afrika Bambaataa teams up with James Brown to record the anthemic single "Unity."

January 11, 1986
"Living in America," the theme song from Rocky IV, reaches #4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, becoming James Brown's biggest pop hit since "I Got You (I Feel Good)" went to #3 in 1965.

January 23, 1986
James Brown is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the first induction dinner, held in New York City.

1986
James Brown hits #4 with "Living in America".

December 15, 1988
James Brown is sentenced to a six-year prison term after a year's worth of arrests on various assault, drug possession and vehicular charges. He leaves prison on parole on February 27, 1991.

February 25, 1992
James Brown receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 34th annual Grammy Awards.

February 25, 1993
James Brown receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at the fourth annual Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Awards. MC Hammer is his presenter.

May 3, 2003
James Brown turns 70 years old.

December 1, 2003
James Brown receives Kennedy Center Honors.